Ruby in Zoisite or Oh, The Tragedy

I have posted about this lovely stone in the past, here.  I decided to go through my remaining specimens to find some additional pairs for earrings.  You know how I love to make pairs. I found several suitable pairs and listed one of them in my etsy shop.    Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

I found a couple more pairs, one of which is causing me great consternation and frustration.  The top of one of the stones is severely chipped.  So badly in fact, that even after two attempts at wrapping it, I set it aside to wait for a better idea.

As you can see, that's a pretty decent pair, considering the random patterning typical of ruby in zoisite.  Here is a close up of the chip.  It breaks my heart.

I thought the wire wrapping would hide the chip, but all it really did was accentuate it.  I'm considering using some modeling paste to "build up" the chip area to give the stone the same shape as the other one.  If anyone has tried this, please let me know.  Or, if you have any other ideas on how I can make this work, please share.  Thank you!

can you take some more Jet cuteness?

Our adorable puppy dominates almost every aspect of our lives.  Events are scheduled around Jet's needs, as it should be with such a young puppy.

Saturday, we went for a long walk to the inlet.  He was very well behaved (most of the time). 

With his dad ...

Inspecting his shadow ...

Looking cute for the camera ...

He was so well behaved that we did the same exact walk on Sunday with Rick's friend Jeff and his dog Kaylee.  Jet only tried to hump her once.  Or twice.  So embarrassing.  She was so not interested in this little whippersnapper!

Totally Green

No, I'm not talking about my eco-friendly lifestyle.  I'm talking about a brand new pair of earrings.  These chrome diopside briolettes really spoke to me when I found them in Tucson.  I suspended them from fine silver circles I fused from wire and added a bunch of vesuvianite (often mistakenly called vessonite, which is not the name of any stone) rondelles.

These earrings have lots of movement and the two different greens really work well together.  You can find them for sale in my etsy shop.  Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Pricing Your Work

My friend Brandi has put together an ebook (free!) that covers every aspect of pricing your work.  This guide is specifically written for artists.  Brandi did an outstanding job of tackling this difficult and sensitive subject.

See her blog post about it here.

Even if you're not interested in the subject of pricing, you should have a look at her blog, brandi girl.  It is visually stunning and joyful.  Brandi has an eye for color and composition that is evident in every blog post and every piece of jewelry she creates.  While you're at it, visit her website.  You won't be disappointed in her spectacular jewelry.  I own a few pieces myself and I can attest to her meticulous attention to detail.

Puppy Kindergarten

All three of us have been going to school.  Every Thursday night we go to Puppy Kindergarten.  Whether or not we graduate is still up in the air.  I never thought I'd be back in school at my age!

The best and most fun part of class is play time -- kind of like recess in people kindergarten.  Watching all the adorable (about 10 of them) puppies running into each other and jumping over each other is hilarious.  They're mostly still pretty klutzy, which adds to the cuteness.

Jet and a male Great Pyrenees sniffing each other as class starts.  Not a great view of either one of them, but cute anyway.  They tend to be the two puppies that play the roughest.  That's Zumi in the foreground.  She's a German Shepherd-Husky mix.

Here's Jet and his dad, after play time.  Two Australian Shepherds (litter mates) are in the foreground.  Jet attacked one of them earlier and it ran away whimpering.  If this class has a bully, it's Jet.  Not so proud of that, but he is at least 6 weeks older than most of the other pups.

The Great Pyrenees is so gorgeous, I decided he needed a picture all his own.  He's so fluffy!

The two Shelties are perfectly behaved.  They are older and belong to the class teacher.  She demos all the commands with both of them and they do whatever she says.  That's a testament to her abilities.  Let's hope it works out for us.

New Blue Earrings

I recently listed two pairs of earrings with some of the new stones I purchased in Tucson.  Before Tucson, I felt that my inventory was severely lacking in blue gems.  I remedied that by finding some kyanite, iolite and lapis.

Iolite and Aqua colored Cubic Zirconia

Kyanite and White Pearls

Now I feel better about my Blues situation!

Vintage Finds

I reported for Grand Jury selection today, along with about 150 other people.  There were several people I knew there -- 4 of us know each other from the Alaska Bead Society!  What are the odds of that?? Anchorage has a population of almost 300,000 as of the last census, so this seems quite remarkable. 

Anyhoo, I did not get selected.  This does not have anything to do with me, the selection process is completely random.  I'm only slightly disappointed.

Moving on ...

I've been meaning to share some of these great vintage finds from our trip to the southwest in February.  I found this beautiful little metal box in an antique store in Apache Junction (at least I think that's where it was!).  The metal is probably base metal with a worn gold plating.  I adore the huge red hunk of glass adorning the top.  This is a really cute item, measuring only 1 3/4" x 1".

This next item also has a huge hunk of glass, only this time it's purple.  I scored on this antique scarf holder in a store in Prescott.  This makes up for the fact the I know I overpaid for the red box :)
This baby has a diameter of about 1 3/4".

This next item was given to me by a friend in the Alaska Bead Society.  It's a not-too gaudy, but quite large brooch featuring clear glass hunks.  This one, I plan to deconstruct for use in a mixed media jewelry project.  It is 2 3/4" long and would probably rip a hole in any article of clothing you tried to attach it to!

Dog Days

We have both -- well, all 3 of us really -- been so busy with Jet-based activities.  Walkies many times a day is a necessity when your bladder is still pretty small.  Training and practicing sit, down and stay multiple times a day.  Jet's attention span is still very short, so several abbreviated sessions are required.

Still, we made some time for a long, long walk down to the inlet for some play on a very long rope.  He needs to burn some of the puppy energy.

First, we must investigate underneath this specific tree.

On our way to the inlet, Jet investigates something in the woods.  I think it was just another tree.

Taking in all the open space at the inlet.

My lame attempt at a Jet Film.

Three New Pairs of Earrings

I've been very busy rebuilding my jewelry inventory, working with Jet and getting the house back in some semblance of order after months of ignoring it.  You'd think I would learn not to let things go for so long, but I never do.  My blogging has been moved to the back burner and will probably remain there.

For the first time in my life, I've been summoned for the Grand Jury.  I'm actually quite excited about it and hope I get selected.  This probably sounds crazy to you, but I think I'll find it very interesting.  I have to report later this month and will find out at that time if I will serve.

In the mean time, here are three new pairs of earrings I've listed in my etsy shop.

I purchased a ton (not a literal ton, but a lot) of those wavy discs in both sterling silver and gold vermeil.  I love the way they look together, as in the last pair of earrings.  I'm working out a bunch of designs using them.

Click on any of the above photos to go directly to the listings.